Surface decoration.



No. 64|,364. Patented Jan. I6, I900. A. BOWERS.

SURFACE DECORATION.

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

INV'ENTOR ATTORNEY run STATES PATENT Erica.

ALFRED BOXVERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FRANK K. BOWERS,

OF SAME PLACE. V

SURFACE DECORATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent N 0. 641,364, dated January16, 1900.

7 Application filed April 1], 1898. Serial No. 677 132. (N model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED BOWERS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of "New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSurface Decorations, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof.

My invention relates to surface decora-' tions, and has for its objectthe production of a surface decoration which shall have substantiallythe same appearance as expensive modeled plaster-work, but which shallbe inexpensive and easily applied and less friable than plaster.

According to my invention a facing of thick paper is united by moistureand pressure to a backing of woven-wire cloth, and by such pressure thecombined sheet or plate is embossed with an ornamental design in relief,the pressure being applied by suitable e1nbossing devices and impressingthe combined sheet or plate, so that the face and back are substantiallyparallel--that is to say, so that the wire-cloth backing follows theundulations and protuberances of the face of the decoration, so as toreinforce the paper throughout the entire decoration. The combinedsheets or plates may be subjected to further treatment and applied tothe surfaces to be decorated in the manner hereinafter particularlydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustratedecorations made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 1 is a rear view of a sheet or plate with the backing ofWire-cloth partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.Fig. 3 is a plan view looking upward, showing three sheets or platesattached to a ceiling and the furring-strips arranged for attachment ofother plates. Fig. a is a sectional perspective view showing a completedecoration including ceiling-plates, wall-plates, cornices, &c.

The facing 1 is made of thick paper-that is to say, of thick sheets offibrous material made in substantially the same manner as paper, and mypurpose is to employ for this facing a material composed largely orwholly of asbestos fiber and known as asbestos or asbestos paper. Thebacking 2 is made of forces all projecting and curved parts as well asall flat parts. The wire-cloth is stretched and made especially tightand stiff in the upwardly or inwardly pressed portions thereof back ofthe corresponding projecting parts of the face of the decoration, andthus the decoration is especially strong at these salient parts, as isdesirable. The pressure of the rollers or dies causes the wire-clothbacking 2 to be partially embedded in the back of the facing 1, so thatthe facing and backing are firmly united; but the wire-cloth being atthe back will not be pressed through the paper by the stampingoperation, and there is no danger of its appearing on the surface of thedecoration or marring the appearance of the face of the decoration.After this procedure of embossing and uniting, the sheets or plates aredried, preferably by artificial heat andin an oven, and then both sidesof the sheets or plates may be painted with a waterproof and fireproofpaint, and after this coating has be come dry and hard are ready forapplication to a surface to be decorated.

The sheets or plates as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are adapted forapplication to a wall or ceiling. They maybe stamped in other than flatforms-as, for example, for cornices and mouldings, as shown in Fig. 4,they would be formed into the usual shapes of such parts of adecoration. They may be applied directly to a surface of plaster, brick,stone, or iron, uniting them thereto by a suitable cement, or they maybe nailed to a wood backing or sheathing or to f urring strips suitablysecured to the surface to be decorated. Fig. 3 shows a backing offurring-strips 3 3, which may be nailed or otherwise secured to aceiling, and the plates are shown as secured to the furring-strips bynails i 4, which may be sunk below the surface and concealed or faced byputty or otherwise. When applied to a surface, the sheets or plates areplaced side by side with their edges abutting, and after they have beensecured in position the joints may be filled or pointed up with a puttyof lead or plaster or other composition, and thus a continuous andperfectly tight covering obtained. The surface may be finished in oil orwater colors, as may be desired, and highly ornamental and pleasingdecorations obtained.

As the surface decoration made in accordance with my invention makes aperfectly air-tight covering and may be made in any thickness desired,it may be applied in new buildings Without the necessity of plasteringthe walls or ceilings. 1 Although the surface is perfectly tight andcontinuous, there is ample provision in the curved and protruding partsof the plates to take up expansion and contraction, and there istherefore no liability to opening of joints or straining or bulging fromthis cause.

When the sheets or plates are secured to the backing by nails, the nailswill readily penetrate the wire-cloth, and the nails will be firmly heldby the combined paper and wirecloth. These nails will not be drawn outbythe expansion and contraction of the sheets or plates, since thisexpansion and contraction will be taken up in each sheet or plate by theembossed portions. The wire-cloth will hold the sheets or plates to theshape in which they are embossed, so that they will not be injured byany ordinary usage and will not lose their shape by reason of moistureor dampness should such moisture or dampness penetrate the paper facing.The decoration is perfectly fireproof when made of asbestos and wirecloth and can stand a high degree of heat without injury of anycharacter.

The stamped designs may be in low or high relief, as the material isquite pliable when subjected to the action of the embossing devices andmay be stretched to a considerable extent. The embossing devices alsoact to tightly compress the material, especially at the points ofprotrusion and recession.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

The process of making surface decorations which consists in uniting asheet of paper and a sheet of woven-Wire cloth and simultaneouslyimpressing an ornamental design in relief thereon with substantiallyparallel face and back surfaces, by moistening the paper and compressingand embossing the paper and wire-cloth, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed this 4th day of April, 1898.

ALFRED BOWERS. Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, HERBERT H. GIBBS.

